575 CY
575 CY was the 575th year of the Common Year reckoning. It followed 574 CY and preceded 576 CY. Canonical events *Zeech becomes ruler of the Viscounty of Redhand, Shield Lands. *Izenfen the Occluded, Mistress of the Twilight Monastery in the Cairn Hills, refuses to use the Censer of Symmetry to predict unclaimed ore deposits for a cadre of miners from nearby Diamond Lake. The miners invade the monastery, seeking to steal the Censer, but fail, though Izenfen's daughter Imonoth dies in the conflict. In retaliation, Izenfen gathers her best warriors and sends them into Diamond Lake, where all fifteen survivors of the ill-fated raid are assassinated. This event becomes commemorated yearly as Darkstar's Kiss. (Age of Worms Overload, 20) *The rogue Balabar Smenk befriends the necromancer Filge in Greyhawk. (Dungeon #124, 46) *Lazare wins Greyhawk's dragonchess championship and uses winnings to buy a mine in the Cairn Hills northeast of Diamond Lake. (Dungeon #124, 53) Reaping *'Reaping 11:' Events of The Secret of Bone Hill. (Len Lakofka, Grey Chrondex) Bastard Greyhawk-specific events Needfest *Aethelstan Adilsyn completes his druidic training, taking the name Earthramus. (RV) Fireseek *Earthramus forms the Sheldomar Seven, along with Arborius, Gerald the Seeker, Hilgaared, Theodore Dobbins, Halik, and Kellin. (U1, RV) *Events of In Search of the Unknown (B1, hex Y2-46): The human mage Carlon, the half-elven ranger Golfer, and the gnomish illusionist/ thief Snort, explore the Caverns of Quasqueton (see 474 CY) with Dohram, a human priest of Saint Carmichael, and the human thief Evro. *Events of The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh (U1, hex U4-123): The Sheldomar Seven, a band of adventurers from the Ulek states, are hired by the villagers of Saltmarsh, Keoland, to investigate a nearby “haunted” house. This group consists of the human ranger Arborius; the human druid Earthramus; Gerald the Seeker, a human priest of Celestian; Hilgaared, a human sorceress; and a halfling thief named Thodore Dobbins, all from the County of Ulek. They are also accompanied by the dwarven warrior Halik, from the Pricipality of Ulek; and the elven fighter/mage Kellin from the Duchy of Ulek. They uncover a smuggling ring led by Sanbalet, a human illusionist, and Sigurd Snake-Eyes, a pirate captain (see 571 CY). Sanbalet is slain, but Snake-Eyes escapes. They rescue an aquatic elf fighter/ thief named Oceanus, who joins the party and tells them that the smugglers are selling weapons to a nearby tribe of lizard men in the Hool Marshes. The party decides to investigate the lair of the lizard men to learn if they plan on terrorizing Saltmarsh. (U1, BF, RV) *Events of Danger at Dunwater (U2, hex V4-124): Arborius, Earthramus, Gerald, Halik, Hilgaared, Kellin, and Oceanus enter Earthwomb, the lizardfolk stronghold. After a few initial misunderstandings, the party learns from the lizard man chieftain, Zaganesar, that the tribe is buying weapons in order to prepare for war with a tribe of sahuagin who drove them from their fortress, Scaleyrock, a year ago (574 CY). Zaganesar suspects the fish-devils are planning an attack on Saltmarsh soon, and asks the party to act as intermediaries in forging an alliance between the lizard men and the people of Saltmarsh. The party leaves with a lizard man envoy to Saltmarsh. (U2, BF, RV) *Events of The Final Enemy (U3, hex W4-125): After much wrangling, the town council of Saltmarsh and the lizard men of Earthwomb agree to send the Sheldormar Seven and the sea elf Oceanus to Scaleyrock to gather strategic information on the sahuagin. The party shortly returns with the information, allowing the alliance of Saltmarsh and Earthwomb to drive the sahuagin from Scaleyrock, and enabling the lizardfolk to retake their fortress. (U3, BF, RV) Readying *Carlon convinces Golfer, Snort, Dohram, and Evro to brave the winter snows and leave Calbut, Tenh for Greyhawk, as the mage aspires to join the city's famed Guild of Wizardry. *Earthramus leaves Saltmarsh. In Seaton, Keoland, he buys passage on a ship bound for Greyhawk, hoping to arrive in time for the Growfest moot that will be held at the Stone Ring outside the city walls. During the journey, he befriends another passenger, the fighter Saldrom. Coldeven *Earthramus and Saldrom arrive in Greyhawk. *Carlon, Golfer, Snort, Dohram, and Evro reach Greyhawk. Growfest *Earthramus attends the Old Faith's Growfest moot at Greyhawk's Stone Ring. During the week, he befriends the the half-elven ranger Golfer. During one of the Growfest events open to the public, Earthramus and Golfer befriend two mysterious elves from faraway lands: the Selkarian warrior Nanolth, and the elven thief, Kayla. Planting *'Planting 1:' New friends Earthramus, Nanolth, Kayla, and Golfer meet for dinner and drinks at the Green Dragon Inn. Golfer brings along Snort and Carlon, and Earthramus, Saldrom. After dinner, Golfer and Snort depart, claiming business elsewhere in the city. While the other converse, they are approached by a blue-garbed mage who introduces himself as Almax. He tells the group that fate has brought them together, and that he has a mission for them. He gives them a map showing the location of an ancient cairn in the Cairn Hills, known as the Grey Cairn, and bids them investigate and tells them he'll purchase any ancient artifacts of interest. After much discussion, the five agree to leave the very next morning. *'Planting 2:' Earthramus, Nanolth, Kayla, Saldrom, and Carlon leave Greyhawk that morning. When asked about his companions, Carlon explains that Golfer, Snort, Dohram, and Evro were either not interested, had other engagements, or simply couldn't be found. When Nanolth mentions that their newly-formed adventuring party should take a name, Earthramus suggests the "Flamebringers," to which the others readily agree. Early that evening, the five seek shelter in a shallow cave in the Cairn Hills, due to an oncoming storm, where they set up camp. A few hours later, during the storm, an elven warrior staggers into the cave seeking shelter. Much to Nanolth’s surprise, he sees that this is his Selkarian kinsman Nacton, who tells the party that he was on his way to Greyhawk City when he became lost in the storm. Nanolth quickly convinces the others to let Nacton join the group. The storm breaks late that night. *'Planting 3:' Night of the Grey Ones (original adventure by Brad Faith). Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nacton, Nanolth, and Saldrom encounter a marauding flock of vargouiles and follow the survivors to their lair, which turns out to be the cairn located on their map. The lair is also occupied by duergar. The six slay the inhabitants and ransack the lair, finding little. *'Planting 5:' Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nacton, Nanolth, and Saldrom return to Greyhawk, and meet with Almax in the Green Dragon Inn. The mage pays them for some of the statuettes and jewelry they recovered, saying they were likely crafted by the fabled Wind Dukes. Almax then tells them he has more work for them, if they wish, but it involves a long sea voyage to Lendore Isle. All but Nacton, who doesn't trust wizards, agree to set out the next morning. *'Planting 6:' The Flamebringers, consisting of Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nanolth, and Saldrom, leave Greyhawk aboard ship, their passage paid for by Almax. The wizard tells the group they are to sail to the town of Restenford and take rooms at Falco's Tavern, where he will contact them a few days after their arrival. Flocktime Wealsun Richfest *'Richfest 4:' Cartissima Acanthus gives birth to her daughter, Cimmerii, in the Downs, Principality of Ulek. Reaping *'Reaping 7:' After some three months at sea, the Flamebringers Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nanolth, and Saldrom disembark in the town of Restenford on Lendore Isle. They take rooms in Falco's Tavern and spend the next few days recuperating while awaiting word from Almax (see Planting 6, 575). *'Reaping 9:' Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nanolth, and Saldrom receive word from Almax to visit a house on the outskirts of Restenford. When they arrive, they are greeted by none other than Almax himself, who explains that he keeps a modest home in Restenford as place of respite. The mage asks the group to clear out Bone Hill Castle, a ruined keep about a day's ride from town. He gives the party funds for suitable mounts and bids them leave the next day. *'Reaping 10:' Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nanolth, and Saldrom leave Restenford on horseback that morning. They arrive at Bone Hill Castle that evening, and agree to set up camp outside the ruins and explore them in the morning. *'Reaping 11-14:' The Secret of Bone Hill (L1, hex B-78) Carlon, Earthramus, Kayla, Nanolth, and Saldrom clear out a ruined, monster-filled castle atop Bone Hill (see 62 CY), near Restenford. The five destroy bugbears, undead, a stone guardian, a gray ooze, and a spectator. They also slay the castle’s undead warlord, the wraith Arvis DuLac (see 169 CY) and his necromancer ally, Telvar. The Flamebringers also put the soul of the “living skeleton” Viracius Scath (see 259 CY) to rest. Upon finding a magical blue staff among the treasure guarded by the grey ooze, Carlon has an epiphany, and devotes his life to the worship of the chaos lord, Arioch. They also have their first encounter with the drow archmage Alcaro, an old enemy of Almax. Alcaro teleports away before the Flamebringers have a chance to melee. After clearing out the ruin, Almax suggests they purchase the property and restore the castle, using the treasure recovered during the adventure, and a loan from the wizard. The castle will eventually be known as Flamebringer Keep, and serve as their first base of operations. Goodmonth Harvester Brewfest Patchwall Ready'reat Sunsebb *'Sunsebb 5:' Verben Ranzoff born on the Plain of Greyhawk. Category:Common Years